Sunday, March 24, 2013

How To Know When Spring Arrives

In Maine it is difficult to know when Spring arrives. We have long cold winters here. The calender tells us one thing and the weather outside says something completely different. Our farm calender says it's spring when the lambs begin to arrive. Emily is the first ewe to lamb this year. Spring has officially arrived. Echo is the proud father of these two early arrivals. One ram lamb and one ewe lamb. Both black.

Ram lambs always arrive with horn buds. You can see this little guys horn buds.

The milk bar is kept warm with her thick fleece. We won't shear until late April or early May.

I think the ram lamb is a bit more friendly at first. Probably more self assured. A good trait in a ram.

They both are very curious.

We do a quick dip of the umbilical stump with Iodine. Then back with mama.

We may look like we are still wrapped in winter's grip here on the farm but deep down inside we know it is really spring. We have lambs!

In just a few short weeks more lambs will arrive, the snow will melt and the first signs of green will appear. There is nothing sweeter than lambs running through the green pastures having lamb races every afternoon. Hope spring arrives in your area soon.

I miss the baby goats - was a sign of end of winter here - usually born in January or mid February and for Texas - that's about it for serious winter. Y'all are hardier fold than I am! Beautiful lambs and your story continues to be a real adventure

Esther

Lambert

Edward

Teddy

How we became Mainely Ewes Farm

This is the story of two best friends who lived in seperate towns, managed two seperate homes with all of the bills, taxes, and house payments of each. We thought that it was silly to continue paying such high bills. We decided to look for an old farm where we each could follow our dreams. We looked for a house big enough that would allow each of us to have our seperate space, enough farm land to be able to have sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys and any other animals that caught our fancy. We needed a barn big enough to house animals and hay. Both of us love the seasons in New England and wanted to remain in the northeast. Both of us were ICU nurses and are under no delusion that we can pay our bills with farming alone. We needed to be located near a large hospital for employment. We work full time as nurses and full time as farmers. That was a lot of needs/wants to guide our search. We combed through magazines, for sale guides, and the internet. We found a place northwest of Bangor Maine that fit these needs. It was a fixer upper in the mildest of terms. This is our story, how we arrived, refinished a 160 year old farm house and are making our dreams come true. We hit bumps in the road at every turn and try to keep a positive attitude. After three years we have come to a change that can't be overlooked. After much thought Alex has decided to pursue her dream elsewhere. Now the farm rests with Ted and I. We will work together to make our dream an actuality. Please follow along with us and welcome to Mainely Ewes Farm.